How many deaths during Eid will ring the alarm bell?

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Bangladeshi launches are often overloaded, especially during the Eid rush. Photo: AFP

We have seen many strong warnings issued by the law enforcers and regulators concerned against transport businessmen to follow the laws and rules to stop deaths of people moving towards home to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr. A similar flow of remarks will hit the headlines ahead of the Eid-ul-Azha too.

But will it stop such unwanted and unwarranted deaths on the highways, river routes and trains?

A big NO!

I am not assured or relieved considering the previous incidents that took place despite such warnings and some eyewash measures taken by the transport businessmen in response. Yes, the owners just carry out facelift ahead of Eid.

According to a BIWTA study, over 10,400 people were killed in more than 20,000 launch accidents since 1972!

The main reasons behind such deaths are carelessness and callousness of the businessmen, who are not afraid of the laws or the people. Impunity gifted by the authorities, the regulators and the law enforcers, as well as a blind eye given by the judiciary is possibly the most important reason behind their careless profit-making machines.

Another reason is no death of any VIP or noted personality in those accidents. Ordinary citizens of the country are actually not humans; they are secondary elements of the society here.

It should be mentioned with utter importance that the authorities have never been able to bring to book the owners and drivers responsible for the deaths.

They might argue that the deaths were unintentional. But is it really true? Think deeply!

How could they be able to ply vehicles, vessels that are unfit? Had the authorities seized those, the deaths would have been avoided easily. But it would have led to less profit of the owners and other beneficiaries.